Organic Food

These are foods produced following a government-regulated
practice of growing and processing that minimizes exposure to
pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used in traditional
farming. Organic food is one of the country's fastest-growing
market segments; sales have risen more than 20 percent per year
since the 1990s, according to the USDA's Economic Research
Service.

Why it's here to stay:Some organic foods may provide a nutrition boost. A research
review of 41 studies conducted by the University of California at
Davis found that, on average, organic produce contains as much as
27 percent more vitamin C, 21 percent more iron, and 29 percent
more magnesium compared to traditionally grown foods. The kinds of
packaged organic foods that now fuel the category's growth, like
cookies, baked goods, and boxed meals, also benefit from a similar
perception of healthfulness.

What it means for you:"An organic stamp isn't necessarily a guarantee of
nutritional quality, but it is a sure sign that the food is less
adulterated," Stokes says. An organic cookie, for example, may have
just as many calories and grams of saturated fat as a nonorganic
cookie. But in the case of produce crops that are commonly treated
with high concentrations of pesticides, like peaches, apples, and
strawberries, choosing organic can minimize your exposure to these
chemicals, according to tests conducted by researchers from the
Environmental Working Group in Washington, D.C.